Dispensers for granular material



Feb. 27, 1962 F. P. DANlELL DISPENSERS FOR GRANULAR MATERIAL Filed April 20, 1959 I I I I INVENTOR FRANK P. DAN/ELL ATTORNEYS 3,922,925 DISPENSERS FOR GRANULAR MATERIAL Frank P. Danieii, R0. Box 84, Thomasviiie, Ga. Filed Apr. 2%}, 1959, Ser. No. $17,448 2 illaims. ((31. 222-517) The present invention relates to dispensers for granu lated sugar and similar granular material, particularly to a cover for such dispensers and a pouring spout thereon.

Containers designed to permit limited quantities of sugar to be poured therefrom should be free from contamination from foreign substances and it is, therefore, desirable that a protective cover for the container and its pouring spout be provided. One of the objects of this invention is so to construct a protective cover for containers of this type that the contents thereof are sealed against moisture as well as against the entrance of foreign matter, insects, and the like.

It is a further object of the invention that the cover is sanitary and is operated by simple manipulation.

It is another object of the invention that separate seals are provided for the rim of a screw-top closure and a pouring spout protruding from the closure.

Other objects will be apparent as the description of a preferred form of the invention is followed and when the arrangement of the parts is observed in the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the closure and its attached hinged cover applied to a container;

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the cover;

FIG. 3 is a vertical section taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary bottom view of the cover with parts broken away to illustrate the assembly.

Referring to the drawings, the container 1%, formed from glass, plastic, or other suitable material, is provided with a threaded neck to accommodate a molded screw-top closure 11. Integral with the closure are a pair of spaced ears 12 having lugs 13 at the ends thereof. The upper face of the closure has a raised circular rim 14 adjacent its periphery and a pouring spout 15 within the rim extending a substantial distance above rim 14. The spout is spaced from and diametrically opposite ears 12 but adjacent to rim 14. It is to be noted that the upper ends of the rim and spout are formed to provide sharp edges thereon.

Attached to closure 11 in hinged relation thereto is a molded cover member 16 pivoted on pin 17 passing through cars 12 and the side flanges 18 of an extension 19 of the cover. This extension forms a thumb or finger piece to facilitate manual operation of the cover. Spring 21 cooperates with lugs 13 and ear 22 on extension 19 normally to swing cover 16 downwardly to engage closure 11. By pressing on the finger piece in a clockwise direction, as seen in FIG. 3, the cover is raised to assume the position seen in FIG. 1.

Cover 16 is cup-shaped with a downwardly directed circular skirt 23, the diameter of which is greater than that of rim 14. This skirt, when the cover is in closed position, extends below rim 14, as will be seen in FIG. 3. On the inner surface of the skirt is a shoulder 24 form- EfiZZfiZS Patented Feb. 27, 1962 ice ing a seat for a disc-like resilient gasket 25 adapted to cooperate with the sharp edge of rim 14. This gasket is apertured at 26 to permit passage of the gasket over spout 15. The underside of cover 16 has formed thereon a supplemental substantially circular flange 27 to provide a pocket for a small disc 23 of resilient material which forms a seal for the sharp edge of the pouring spout.

It will be obvious from the foregoing description and the drawings that a double seal is provided to protect the contents of the container from moisture and contamination. The outlet of the pouring spout is spaced above the upper side of the sealing rim of closure 11. At the same time the outlet is sufiiciently close to the periphery of the threaded closure that when sugar or other granular material is poured therefrom in the usual or normal manner, the poured material will clear the sides of closure 11. When the container is returned to its upright position, the granular material within the pouring spout will fall back into the container, none of it spilling on the top of the closure. Thus, the arrangement illustrated insures sanitary disposition of the sugar or other material, both in pouring it and returning the unused material to the container, at the same time affording effective sealing of the contents against moisture and foreign matter.

The form of the invention shown in the drawings is a preferred one, but certain modifications thereof are contemplated within the scope of the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a closure for a dispensing container, said closure having a raised peripheral rim projecting from the upper surface thereof and a spout portion within and adjacent said rim, the height of said spout being substantially greater than that of said rim, said rim and said spout each having a sharp edge, said sharp edges of the rim and spout each forming a complete circle, the diameter of the rim being substantially greater than that of said spout, a cover hinged to said closure, a first resilient gasket in said cover adapted for sealing cooperation with the entire sharp edge of said rim, said gasket having an opening to permit said spout to project therethrough, a second resilient gasket in said cover disposed in a plane spaced from said first mentioned gasket, and means urging said cover toward said rims whereby said first and second gaskets are brought into sealing relation with the sharp edges of said rim and said spoutv respectively.

2. The combination defined in claim 1 in which the vertical distance between said sharp edges is equal to the spacing of the edge engaging surfaces of said gaskets.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

